Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 12

The Handbook talks about the importance of remaining relaxed while running. This isn't too tough in the beginning but I've noticed that as time wears on, and I'm low on energy, I start to tighten up. My shoulders hunch, my gaze drops to the ground, sometimes I notice that my hands are clenched into fists. To combat the problem, I've started taking a mental inventory of my body as I run. I start with my head, making sure my eyes and jaw are relaxed then I move down through my neck shoulders, elbows, etc. all the way to my feet. It may be my imagination but I think I have more energy if I make sure my body is tension free.

Here's a tip from The Beginning Runner's Handbook that author Ian MacNeill credits to Olympian Lynn Kanuka: Try pressing your thumb and one of your fingers together to remove stress in the shoulders and back. You have to try it to believe that it works.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runner's Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 12

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 50 minutes, 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down


Week 13

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 40 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: Congratulations, you've done it!


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

10 Adventurous Trips

Catherine Mack has written an article about 10 trips for women who want a more adventurous vacation. Catherine's suggestions range from Coasteering (plummeting from great heights into a body of water) to weaving rugs in Morocco to doing the Cha-Cha in Cuba and cryo-therapy in Slovakia.

From the Irish Times, 10 trips "For Women with a Sense of Adventure."

Adventure Site of the Week: Under the Milky Way

There are adventures for the mind and body and there are adventures for the spirit. Rita at "Under the Milky Way" is training for all three as she prepares to walk a 500-mile long pilgrimage through Spain. I asked Rita to describe her upcoming trip and here's what she had to say:

I am an avid traveler, always looking for my next adventure. This time that adventure is a 500 mile Spiritual Pilgrimage, trekking across northern Spain, along an ancient footpath called the Camino de Santiago, through 3 mountain chains, some of the most beautifully preserved medieval villages, mostly unchanged in over 1,000 years, and some of the most scenic countryside in Europe, to the tomb of the Apostle Saint James. It is the 3rd most important Pilgrimage in the world, topped only by Rome and Jerusalem.

I will walk between 5 to 8 hours each day for more than a month, carrying the bare necessities on my back and staying in a network of places along the way, mostly in hostels, convents and monasteries.

The journey is an amazing experience in simplicity, leaving behind all the luxuries and conveniences of home, along with all the stress, burdens and politics. They say the road offers many lessons to all who walk it, the most profound being the journey of self discovery.

When asked why, at 62, I am taking on such an arduous journey, both physically and mentally challenging, even for someone much younger in years, I cannot give a clear-cut answer. I can only say that I am enjoying training by walking and hiking daily and I am looking forward to what the journey has to offer.

My Pilgrimage begins soon. I leave for Spain on September 6 to start my journey.

You can follow my progress by reading my blog which I will be updating while making my way across Spain.

To follow Rita's adventure, click here to visit, Under the Milky Way

Image courtesy of Rita at Under the Milky Way

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 11

My running companions have commented that they are really getting tired of seeing the same old things as we run the neighborhood. Not only does the scenery make the run less interesting but back when we were doing shorter intervals, we were used to stopping near the elementary school and then again near the "big tree" and the "blue house." Now when we pass the tree and the blue house our brains tell our bodies that it's time to stop and that is creating a physical conflict. So, the plan for this week is to seek out new paths. I'd like to find a nice wooded trail, other people know of urban running tracks that they think would be a fun change. I'm looking forward to doing something new.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 11

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 40 minutes, walk1 minute, run 20 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Week 12

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 50 minutes, 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

An Extraordinary Honor for an Extraordinary Woman: Nancy G. Brinker

I received this exciting news from Susan G. Komen for the Cure:

"On July 30, an extraordinary honor was given to our Founding Chair, Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker. She was selected to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor our country bestows, for her work in launching Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and building the organization into the leader of the global breast cancer movement."

If you aren't familiar with Susan G. Komen or her sister, Nancy, here's a bit of background: A number of years ago, Susan was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although her physical body was lost to the disease, her energy has lived on. Susan's battle against the illness, her efforts to make life better for other women and her strong spirit, inspired her sister, Nancy, to continue the fight to "end breast cancer forever." The result of Nancy's commitment to her sister and to women around the globe is the organization Susan G. Komen for the Cure. According to their website, the organization is

...The global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1 billion since inception in 1982. As the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, we’re working together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, and generous contributions from our partners, sponsors and fellow supporters, we have become the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

Thank you, Nancy, for your tireless effort to improve the lives of many, many women whom you will never even meet.

Inner Tube Water Polo: Oh, Yes You Can!

My friend, Anne, was interviewed recently about her inner tube water polo team. She sent me a link to the TV broadcast and after watching the clip I was so inspired that I contacted my county's recreation office to press for an inner tube water polo league of our own.

What I like most about this goofy sport is that the inner tube is the great equalizer. As one of the the women in the clip states, even if you are an athlete, you aren't an athlete in an inner tube. The second best thing is that teams can compete outside during the summer and move to indoor pools the rest of the year.

Click here to see KECI-TV's story about a sport that may become near and dear to your heart.

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 10

After last week's longer running intervals, I noticed that my knees were unhappy for a couple of days. I know from past experience that achy knees are a good indication that it's time for new running shoes. I used to think that it was appropriate to keep sneakers until the bottoms wore out or they fell apart but I have discovered through trial and error that when it comes to running, frugality just doesn't pay. I still shop in the overstock and discontinued area of the my athletic shoe store but I try to replace my shoes every six months -- sometimes more often if my knees start giving me the signal.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 10

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 30 minutes, walk1 minute, run 30 minutes, 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down


Week 11

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 40 minutes, walk1 minute, run 20 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Lhasa: Adventures in Tibet

Lhasa is a place I dream about. I've read more books about Tibet than I can count. I've seen loads of films, visited exhibitions and put the Buddhist holy land on my travel "to do" list and yet a part of me hesitates. What worries me is the altitude -- I like my oxygen.

It takes me a good three days to acclimate when I fly from my house (altitude 330 feet) to my parents' house (altitude 8,000 feet). That's three days of gulping water, restless nights and bad dreams. Lhasa, at 12,000 feet above sea level, is half again as high.

Over at Travelbite, Kelly Gilblom has posted a story about her own Tibetan adventure and she doesn't sugar coat a thing. Kelly's trip from Shanghai to Lhasa was, long, dirty, nauseating and more than worth it.

Click here to read "Travel Blog: Seven Days in Tibet."



Image credit: ROAD IN THE MOUNTAINS
© Eprom | Dreamstime.com

Outrigger Canoes

A few days ago, I mentioned that some members of my Adventure Club and I attended a Dragon Boat & Outrigger Canoe clinic on the Anacostia River. Last week, I wrote about Dragon Boats so I thought I'd cover the Outrigger Canoes (OC) today.

The outrigger is a canoe that has a floating support on one or both sides that helps to keep the boat stable. The canoe that I tried had a single outrigger on the port (left) side, and six seats for the paddlers. Like a Dragon Boat, OC paddling is a full body workout. Unlike the Dragon Boat, only one person sits in a seat so a paddler will alternate paddling on the port or starboard side of the boat; 15 strokes to the left, switch, 15 to the right, switch. That helps because if you're in an OC, you're going to be paddling for a couple of hours.

If Dragon Boat races are sprints then Outrigger Canoe races are marathons; OC races can range upward of 20 miles in the open ocean. Sometimes, in very long races, team members trade off but if you're serious about Outriggers, you have to be prepared for the long haul.

You may be thinking that you're too old to handle an endurance sport like this but you'd be wrong. All of the women and men who lead our clinic were older than me and a several were retired. Looking at OC websites, it's easy to find competitions for people of all ages including 60+.

OC racing is the state sport of Hawaii and popular around the world. If you're interested in Outrigger Canoes as an alternative to an ordinary workout or for the fun of joining a team, check out these sites:

Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association

East Coast Outrigger Racing Association

Northern California Outrigger Canoe Association

OCPaddler

The Perseids are Coming! The Perseids are Coming!

If you've been reading along for a little while you know I'm a fan of meteor showers. They're free, they're entertaining and they let your imagination drift away into the heavens. That said, tonight and tomorrow night, planet Earth will be drifting through a big cosmic dust bunny left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. All those little bits of debris will be entering our atmosphere approximately where the constellation Perseus appears overhead. Don't worry if you don't know your star locations, the best plan of attack is to just lie in a lawn chair or on a blanket and look up. If you're in a region free from light pollution you may see dozens of meteors per hour. That means a lot of wishing!

If you'd like to learn a little more about the Perseid meteor shower, click here for an article from NASA.

Thanks for the reminder, Abbie!



Image credit: Dreamstimefree 2776047: Moon-Star

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 9

Well, today is going to be one of those gross Washington days: 100 degrees and tropical humidity. Just thinking about the run schedule for this evening is making me reach for a glass of water. I may just head off to the nice, cool gym and use their lovely treadmill to put in my time. Yeah, yeah, I'm a wimp.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 9

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk1 minute, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down


Week 10

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 30 minutes, walk1 minute, run 30 minutes, 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Fun New Site for Adventurous Women

Beth "Ava Aviatrix" Walz of Roseberg, Oregon, has launched a new site called, Adventure Woman. Ava's outpost let's you meet and nominate real Adventure Women, share stories, get tips, voice an opinion, plan an adventure and, well so much more that you'll really just have to visit and see for yourselves.

Check out Adventure Woman here.

Dragon Boats

A couple of years ago my adventure group was on a bike trip when we stumbled across the DC Dragon Boat Festival. The large canoe-like boats decorated with scales and dragon heads were crewed by teams of 20 paddlers, a drummer and someone to navigate. The festival drew teams from around the region, and a few international participants, to compete in races on the Potomac river.

This past weekend, five of us had a last-minute opportunity to participate in a Dragon Boat/Outrigger Canoe clinic sponsored by Washington Women Outdoors and the National Capital Area Women's Paddling Association (NCAWPA). I'll write about the Outriggers later and focus on the Dragon Boats today. I didn't manage to get any pictures of the festival or the clinic so click here to see NCAWPA's photo gallery.

History of Dragon Boats

According to the American Dragon Boat Association, the history of Dragon Boats begins with The legend of Chu Yuan:

Over 2000 years ago Chu Yuan, poet, warrior and loyal aide to the emperor, fell victim to plots and deception and found himself out of favor at court. When the old emperor died, Chu Yuan was unjustly banished and wandered the countryside composing poems he hoped would be heard and heeded by the new emperor. His inconsolable desolation grew until one day he threw himself into the Mi Lo River. His devoted followers, learning of his death, rushed to search for his body. Fearing the fish might devour the body; they beat their paddles on the water and banged drums and gongs to frighten the fish. Today, athletes from around the world meet to commemorate Yuan's sacrifice for honor and justice in the form of Dragon Boat Racing.

It's a full body workout

A Dragon Boat race is essentially a sprint. The courses tend to be shorter than those for Outrigger Canoe races and the key to the speed of the boat is for each member of the team to paddle in unison. The more perfect the synchronization the better. The goal: a team that acts like a strong well-oiled machine.

Before climbing into the boat, we practiced our paddling technique on dry land. The boat has 10 double seats to accommodate the 20 paddlers, so we stood in two lines to simulate the boat. Each person dedicated her paddling to only one side. Paddling itself isn't a test of arm strength. It's a full body workout.

I was on the left side of the boat so I started by grasping the top of my paddle with my right hand; the left was positioned just above the blade. To begin the stroke, I raised my right arm until my elbow was next to my right ear. The left arm was extended straight in front. To get the most out of a stroke, I was told to rotate my torso slightly toward the inside of the boat, extend the paddle forward, bend at the hip, put the blade into the water so that is was completely submerged, then counter rotate-- turning my torso toward the outside of the boat while sitting up, pulling the blade back and pushing off with my legs to get added power. Raise the blade and repeat. Yep, a full body workout.

We had a wonderful time at the clinic and agreed that our Adventure Club will be entering a team in the DC Dragon Boat Festival next May. Festival teams only have three practices before the big weekend so it's fun without being a huge time commitment. I enjoyed the clinic so much, I may sign on for a longer stint.

If Dragon Boats sound interesting to you, check out a festival in your area. There are organizations and events all around the globe. Here are some links to get you started:

American Dragon Boat Association

Boston

Denver

International Dragon Boat Federation, List of international affiliates

Los Angeles

NCAWPA

Nova Scotia

Philadelphia

Texas

Worldwide Dragon Boat Calendar






Photo credit: Abbie Mulvihill



updated 2/19/11

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 8

A couple of people in my group have been fighting those nasty side stitches; that pain that grabs you in the waist and makes you pray for the walk break. So, I turned to my trusty handbook and here's what it had to say about avoiding the stitch: alter your breathing pattern, exhale forcefully (grunt on exhalation), belly breath (breathe mainly with the diaphragm), increase your abdominal strength through exercises.

It makes sense to me that breathing is related to side stitches because I've noticed that they seem to strike the people who talk the least. For example, when other kids join us and Liz is chatting while running, she does well. When she's stuck with a bunch of boring adults and doesn't join the conversation, the side stitch attacks. So I'm going to add one more thing to the list of ways to avoid the stitch: talk! It seems to help regulate your breathing by forcing you to breath out adequately (which also keeps you from feeling like you can't catch your breath). I told Liz to start singing while she runs, she thought it was dumb until it started helping.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 8 (easy recovery week)

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 8 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 5 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 7 times. 5-minute cool-down


Week 9

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk1 minute, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Aviation Pioneers Are Recognized: WASPs get Congressional Gold Medal

The San Francisco Chronicle has a nice story this morning about Margaret Phelan Taylor who, as a too-short youth, stretched her way into history as a WASP -- a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots.

Margaret and the other WASPs were aviation pioneers who dedicated themselves to the war effort in a time when the US needed pilots. Although a number of them lost their lives, the WASPs contribution wasn't appropriately appreciated: when the war ended, they were just sent home. Women weren't supposed to do that sort of thing in those days. Happily (though belatedly) the surviving WASPs are now receiving the Congressional Gold Medal--the highest and most distinguished award Congress can award to a civilian.

Even before President Obama made the Gold Medal official, Margaret's activities didn't go unnoticed. Her exploits during WWII inspired her niece, Sandra, to pursue her own flying career. Sandra credits her aunt's riveting stories for her current profession as a pilot and captain with United Airlines.

Naturally, I love Margaret's final quote in the SFC article, "... I have to say, I did this for the adventure and it was quite an adventure."

To read the full article, click here.

To read more about the Women Airforce Service Pilots, click here.